‘Cats Corner is the official blog for the Tri-City ValleyCats, Short Season Single-A affiliate of the Houston Astros, and member of the historic New York-Penn League. 'Cats Corner consistently ranks as one of the top 50 professional blogs on the MLB.com network. With game and promotional recaps, team analysis and more, 'Cats Corner is ValleyCats fans #1 source for information.

The Journey from Troy to San Francisco

It’s been over a month and a half since the Tri-City ValleyCats captured their first New York-Penn League Championship, and today the city of San Francisco will celebrate their 2010 World Series Champion Giants in a victory parade in the heart of downtown San Francisco.

The parade route will follow the
same path it took 52 years ago when the Giants were welcomed to their
new home from New York in 1958, a franchise that got it’s roots from the same city that the ‘Cats call home.

(Below is an excerpt from the 2003 Tri-City ValleyCats program article on “A History of Baseball in the Capital Region.”) ___________________________________________

Although the argument of whether Abner Doubleday or Alexander
Cartwright invented the game of baseball will probably never be settled,
one thing remains certain: baseball was invented in New York, and the
Capital Region has left a firm imprint on the history of professional
baseball. Long before the Tri-City ValleyCats roared into
Joseph L. Bruno stadium, baseball’s future stars had been entertaining
Capital Region fans for generations. While many of the
teams are now just distant memories, the one Capital Region team that
will never be forgotten is the Troy Haymakers. Although professional
baseball was being played throughout the city of Troy in the late
1800’s, the Haymakers are the only team to have played on the major
league level.The Haymakers were the first team to have a Latin American player, Esteban Bellan,
“The Cuban Syph.” Originally called the Unions of Lansingburgh, the
Haymakers first played in the National Association of Baseball Players
league. Games were played at Rensselaer Park for five seasons, and the
Haymakers won about 90% of their games. The Unions overwhelmed local
teams, often scoring in excess of 100 runs in a game. In August of 1886,
the Unions decided to make their first trip to play the top teams of
New York City. Their first match-up against the powerful
Brooklyn Atlantics proved to be a learning experience, as they were
vanquished 46-11. The Unions didn’t let the crushing defeat deter them,
however, and came back to shock the best team in baseball at the time,
the New York Mutuals, with a thrilling 15-13 victory. The win sent
shockwaves through the baseball world and also served as the origin of
the Haymakers famous nickname. A Mutual player expressed his disbelief
in losing to a team of “Haymakers.” The nickname stuck and Haymakers
would forever be associated with baseball in troy.In 1879
the Haymakers were granted membership to the National League of
Professional Baseball Clubs (present day National League) and changed
their name to the Troy Trojans. Troy was a thriving industrial city at
the time with a population of nearly 85,000. The club averaged a
respectable 2,000 fans a game for their four years despite relatively
high ticket prices- 50 cents a game, $20 for season tickets. But high
prices and losing records don’t mix. Troy found that out in 1881, when
exactly 12 fans turned out to watch the Trojans and Chicago in the 1881
season finale. The record still stands as a major league low.

The Trojans played in the major leagues for four seasons and compiled a
total record of 134-191. In 1882 the Trojans were contracted from the
league for economic reasons, but were granted honorary membership to the
National League as a form of compensation, which still applies to this
day. When the Trojans disbanded, a New York tobacco tycoon, John Day, bought the rights to the Trojans and sent many of the players
to two of his teams, the New York Metropolitans of the American
Association (present day American League), and the New York Gothams
(Giants) of the National League.

Five of the players sent to play with
the Metropolitans and the Gothams went on to the Hall of Fame. (Click their name to view full stats on MLB.com)__________________________________________

Buck EwingBorn: October 27, 1859, Hogland, OhioElected into the Hall of Fame: 1939

Former Troy Trojan, Buck Ewing, was the first catcherever elected to the Hall of Fame. Ewing hit over .300 in 10 of his 15 full major league seasons, compiling a .303 careerbatting average. He captained the New York Giants to theclub’s first championship in 1888 and 1889.

Dan Brouthers, former Troy Trojan, won more major leaguebatting titles (five) than any other 19th century ballplayer. Hiscareer spanned four decades and ended with a lifetime battingaverage of .342, which is tops among big-league first base-menand is a three way tie for the seventh-best in history.

Mickey WelchBorn: July 4, 1859, Brooklyn, NYElected into the Hall of Fame: 1973

Mickey Welch, a crafty right-hander, pitched for Troy andNew York in the National League during the 19th century.On August 28, 1884, Welch struck out the first nine battershe faced, a record that has remained untouched. The nextseason, Welch won 17 straight games and ended the seasonwith a 44-11 record.

Tim KeefeBorn: January 1, 1857, Cambridge, MAElected into the Hall of Fame: 1964

A superior submarine pitcher, Tim Keefe won 342 games injust 14 big league seasons. He ran off a record 19 straightvictories during the 1888 season and twice won over 40 games. Keefe spent three seasons pitching for the TroyTrojans of the National League, 1880-1882. After his playingcareer, Keefe served three years as a National League umpire,1894-1896.

Roger ConnorBorn: July 1, 1857, Waterbury, CTElected into the Hall of Fame: 1976

Roger Connor was the 19th century’s home run king with 138career homers. The slugging first baseman surpassed the .300mark in 12 different seasons. Connor started his 18-season career with the Troy Trojans in 1880 where he hit .332 in 83 games.

___________________________________________________________

Newspaper clipping of Buck Ewing: This “honorary membership” to the
National League as a form of compensation, has beenrumored to include an agreement that several exhibition games would be played in Troy each season and that Troy would be allowed to apply for another
franchise. Neither of these have happened. A search is on to see if there is some sort of official document that exists, which states either of these agreements.

So as you watch the San Francisco Giants parade down Market Street, keep in mind that the organization stemmed from a team in Troy, NY. Current home of the 2010 New York-Penn League Champion Tri-City ValleyCats.

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so it had to take the Giants to win a world series for Troy to jump onits bandwagon. Not when it lost 100 games back in 1985 ( giants you mean the Football team dont you?) Or nearly setting franchise record of futility of three straight 90 loss seasons ( 06 07 08) But it was only 07 and 08. So since we are the ..CoUgH birthplace of the Giants why was’nt the team named the Troy Titans back in 2001 in honor of the Troy players being ‘so tall that we are now calling the Giants instead of the gothams. I am a SF Giant fan been that way since I was seven years old and was told then : love em when they win and love em when they lose, but one day they will be champions and more than just once”. Sooo WHERE YA BEEN ???

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